I am not a math person. I am speech-language pathologist. Because I am not a math person So...to break down the language. MFP said my BMR was 1506. I added in light exercise 30 min 4-5 times a week and it was just over 2000. I think 2100ish. So I hsould eat 1500 calories? ARrgghhh....why can't we just eat without all this angst?

Originally Posted by Pebbles67

My Fitness Pal & BMR I just discovered a major flaw in the way MFP calculates BMR. The calculator on the site only gives you your "coma calories" burn, and clearly says that daily activity is not counted. It then says that it's Mifflin-St joer calculation is more accurate than Harris Benedict. BUT the purpose of Harris Benedict is to calculate your activity calories. Somebody messed up.

MFP gives me 1765 BMR. I multiplied by 1.375 for less active days.
Min Daily Calorie need 2427
I choose to eat 1850 cals about 20% below. On heavy work out days up to 40% below

IMO everyone should at least eat enough to hit their base BMR without activity, though others I'm sure will disagree.

Harris Benedict tells us to multiply the base BMR by the following:
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

I am not a math person. I am speech-language pathologist. Because I am not a math person So...to break down the language. MFP said my BMR was 1506. I added in light exercise 30 min 4-5 times a week and it was just over 2000. I think 2100ish. So I hsould eat 1500 calories? ARrgghhh....why can't we just eat without all this angst?

Sorry, I did not mean to be confusing. I'm not sure why there is angst? I just don't want people acting on incorrect info. You can just use the general macro formula from the first page. The calories are built into that formula. To answer your calorie question, IMO You should at least eat your BMR calories, but could eat a little (say 10%) below your daily caloric needs and still lose weight.

Everyone if you don't want this info, don't use it. The basic KG formula works fine.

My Fitness Pal & BMR I just discovered a major flaw in the way MFP calculates BMR. The calculator on the site only gives you your "coma calories" burn, and clearly says that daily activity is not counted. It then says that it's Mifflin-St joer calculation is more accurate than Harris Benedict. BUT the purpose of Harris Benedict is to calculate your activity calories. Somebody messed up.

MFP gives me 1765 BMR. I multiplied by 1.375 for less active days.
Min Daily Calorie need 2427
I choose to eat 1850 cals about 20% below. On heavy work out days up to 40% below

IMO everyone should at least eat enough to hit their base BMR without activity, though others I'm sure will disagree.

Harris Benedict tells us to multiply the base BMR by the following:
To determine your total daily calorie needs, multiply your BMR by the appropriate activity factor, as follows:

Harris-Benedict is the result of a multivariate regression on males and females in the early 20th century - body mass was correlated with age and gender to derive the equations. They have held up over the years, but they only provide BMR. They do not have the multipliers according to activity. Other folks have added those, as America became more calorie conscious.

Other studies have yielded other formulae - Mifflin-St Jeor and Katch-McArdle are two of the better known ones. I have a spreadsheet I set up when I was calorie counting (which works - PB is right that calories matter when losing weight - I also agree it's one hell of a lot easier with NK). I'll send it to anyone who desires -- feel free to use it as much or as little as you like (tried to attach it but it was tagged "invalid file" -- simple spreadsheet).

My Fitness Pal & BMR I just discovered a major flaw in the way MFP calculates BMR. The calculator on the site only gives you your "coma calories" burn, and clearly says that daily activity is not counted. It then says that it's Mifflin-St joer calculation is more accurate than Harris Benedict. BUT the purpose of Harris Benedict is to calculate your activity calories. Somebody messed up.

MFP gives me 1765 BMR. I multiplied by 1.375 for less active days.
Min Daily Calorie need 2427
I choose to eat 1850 cals about 20% below. On heavy work out days up to 40% below

IMO everyone should at least eat enough to hit their base BMR without activity, though others I'm sure will disagree.

9

My BMR without adding for activity is 1295. It sux being older!! I do lose best eating under 1200 calories.